The ins and outs of blogging

Someone asked me yesterday how long a blog entry took me.  I think he meant the actual time writing and posting.  That takes from 15 to 45 minutes, depending on the subject.  But it doesn't begin to take into account the prep time.  Have I made any progress stitching on my latest projects?  If I am taking photographs; I have to take, download, and then edit them.  And,if the topic isn't stitching, what can it be?  Should it be a discussion of a finer point of needlepoint (like determining quantities of fibers); or merely showing photographs of new inventory.

And a good ratio of topics is a consideration.  I try to make at least 50% of my entries about my stitching projects.  Perhaps 20 or 25% personal opinions and/or rants; and the other 25% or 30% new items. I try to never photograph the finished projects of customers, because many of them are presents, and who am I to spoil the surprise?  Most of the canvases Needle Nicely stitches for customers never see

the light of day on blog.  There again, no reason to announce to the world that the mother/grandmother/whoever didn't do the stitching herself.  She had the idea for a gift and shouldn't be publicly punished for not being able to finish stitching it.  This past winter I stitched a Christmas stocking for a customer.  No one cared who stitched it, they just wanted a beautiful product.  I spent a lot of time coming up with stitches and then stitching that stocking.  I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  I also think the photos I took of different areas will help others come up with ways to use the stitches I used.

Incidentally, it was only this afternoon that I realized that of the 10 or 15 blogs I try to follow, all are by women.  I know there are male stitchers (I have about 6 among my customer base), but none of them seem to want to share their ideas and feelings about stitching.  Another factor in who writes blogs--I think the marathon November (NaBloPoMo) every day blogging (some do this in March instead) was to encourage people to get into the habit of writing a day and eventually either compiling their entries into a book or letting bloggers realize that they could write a book, if only if they got into the habit of writing daily.  However, I just want you to visualize me, sitting at my computer every Wednesday and Saturday evening, with a vodka and water by my side, trying to communicate to you what I think is so wonderful about this pastime (and industry).